For me, having grown up in Siberia, there is no such thing as blooming in February. Plants remain in a state of deep winter dormancy, the movement of sap has ceased, and life seems to have frozen, though invisible processes continue within the plants. Perennials and low shrubs lie beneath the snow, protected from severe frosts and cold winds. The visible parts of trees and tall shrubs form a beautiful geometry of interwoven branches, which can hardly be called dull. On the contrary, this is the perfect time to observe the entire structure of a tree—the elegant skeleton of its limbs and branches, the unique shape of each species’ crown. I consider deciduous trees are particularly fascinating in winter. Their inner structure is fully revealed, unlike evergreens, where it remains hidden. Yet evergreens have their own beauty—their snow-laden branches swaying gently and the mysterious depth of their crowns, concealing secret shelters for small forest animals and birds.
Blooming in February is something that happens in regions much further south than my hometown of Novosibirsk. Here, in the Balkans, at the 45th parallel (while Novosibirsk lies at the 55th, on the same latitude as Scotland), one can now marvel at the sight of a sprawling, low-growing shrub covered in small, bright yellow flowers. This is winter jasmine Jasminum nudiflorum, a species endemic to China. In Chinese, its name Yingchun means “the flower that welcomes spring.” Interestingly, the flowers of winter jasmine have no scent at all. Throughout the city, dense thickets of this plant form large borders, sprinkled with yellow stars.
Here is hazelnut Corylus avellana, with its long, pale green and creamy catkins now unfurling on bare branches (main photo). Some nurseries offer Corylus Atropurpurea variety of common hazel, which has dark burgundy leaves in summer that turn green in autumn. This variety is highly ornamental and pairs beautifully with small trees or shrubs that develop purple foliage in the autumn. I would suggest Euonymus alatus as a great companion to purple-leaved hazel. In summer its green leaves create a striking contrast with the burgundy foliage of the hazel, while in autumn, the burning bush’s crimson leaves stand out vividly against the dark green background of the hazel.
One of the early-blooming trees is the common dogwood Cornus mas. This fruit-bearing shrub needs just a few degrees above zero for its tiny, bright yellow flowers to open.
One of my favorite winter-flowering trees is witch hazel Hamamelis. It’s no surprise that it’s called the king of winter bloomers. The flowers of witch hazel have a very unusual shape—clusters of narrow, thin petals that resemble delicate strips of paper in shades of yellow, red, and orange, with a strong and very pleasant fragrance. The most beautiful varieties are the Japanese H. japonica and the Chinese H. mollis, which can only grow in southern regions. In colder climates H. virginiana may be grown, settled on a south-facing slope and provided with good winter protection. However, its blooming period will be in autumn, after the leaves have dropped.
